the red cross girl-第16章

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they　came　down　to　the　coast　like　a　wave；　on　foot；　by　trains；
by　motors；　and　at　nine　o'clock　the　Government　took　over　all
the　railroads。　The　county　regiments；　regulars；　yeomanry；
territorials；　have　been　spread　along　this　shore　for　thirty
miles。　Down　in　London　the　Guards　started　to　Dover　and
Brighton　two　hours　ago。　The　Automobile　Club　in　the　first　hour
collected　two　hundred　cars　and　turned　them　over　to　the　Guards
in　Bird　Cage　Walk。　Cody　and　Grahame…White　and　eight　of　his
air　men　left　Hendon　an　hour　ago　to　reconnoitre　the　south
coast。　Admiral　Beatty　has　started　with　the　Channel　Squadron
to　head　off　the　German　convoy　in　the　North　Sea；　and　the
torpedo　destroyers　have　been　sent　to　lie　outside　of
Heligoland。　We'll　get　that　back　by　daylight。　And　on　land
every　one　of　the　three　services　is　under　arms。　On　this　coast
alone　before　sunrise　we'll　have　one　hundred　thousand　men；　and
from　Colchester　the　brigade　division　of　artillery；　from
Ipswich　the　R。　H。　A。's　with　siege…guns；　field…guns；　quick…
firing…guns；　all　kinds　of　guns　spread　out　over　every　foot　of
ground　from　here　to　Hunstanton。　They　thought　they'd　give　us　a
surprise　party。　They　will　never　give　us　another　surprise
party！〃

On　the　top　of　the　hill　at　Overstrand；　the　headwaiter　of　the
East　Cliff　Hotel　and　the　bearded　German　stood　in　the　garden
back　of　the　house　with　the　forbidding　walls。　From　the　road　in
front　came　unceasingly　the　tramp　and　shuffle　of　thousands　of
marching　feet；　the　rumble　of　heavy　cannon；　the　clanking　of
their　chains；　the　voices　of　men　trained　to　command　raised　in
sharp；　confident　orders。　The　sky　was　illuminated　by　countless
fires。　Every　window　of　every　cottage　and　hotel　blazed　with
lights。　The　night　had　been　turned　into　day。　The　eyes　of　the
two　Germans　were　like　the　eyes　of　those　who　had　passed
through　an　earthquake；　of　those　who　looked　upon　the　burning
of　San　Francisco；　upon　the　destruction　of　Messina。

〃We　were　betrayed；　general；〃　whispered　the　head…waiter。

〃We　were　betrayed；　baron；〃　replied　the　bearded　one。

〃But　you　were　in　time　to　warn　the　flotilla。〃

With　a　sigh；　the　older　man　nodded。

〃The　last　message　I　received　over　the　wireless；〃　he　said；
〃before　I　destroyed　it；　read；　'Your　message　understood。　We
are　returning。　Our　movements　will　be　explained　as　manoeuvres。
And；〃　added　the　general；　〃The　English；　having　driven　us　back；
will　be　willing　to　officially　accept　that　explanation。　As
manoeuvres；　this　night　will　go　down　into　history。　Return　to
the　hotel；〃　he　commanded；　〃And　in　two　months　you　can　rejoin
your　regiment。〃

On　the　morning　after　the　invasion　the　New　York　Republic
published　a　map　of　Great　Britain　that　covered　three　columns
and　a　wood…cut　of　Ford　that　was　spread　over　five。　Beneath　it
was　printed：　〃Lester　Ford；　our　London　correspondent；　captured
by　the　Germans；　he　escapes　and　is　the　first　to　warn　the
English　people。〃

On　the　same　morning；　In　an　editorial　in　The　Times　of　London；
appeared　this　paragraph：

〃The　Germans　were　first　seen　by　the　Hon。　Arthur　Herbert；　the
eldest　son　of　Lord　Cinaris；　Mr。　Patrick　Headford　Birrell
both　of　Balliol　College；　Oxford；　and　Mr。　Lester　Ford；　the
correspondent　of　the　New　York　Republic。　These　gentlemen
escaped　from　the　landing　party　that　tried　to　make　them
prisoners；　and　at　great　risk　proceeded　in　their　motor…car
over　roads　infested　by　the　Germans　to　all　the　coast　towns　of
Norfolk；　warning　the　authorities。　Should　the　war　office　fail
to　recognize　their　services；　the　people　of　Great　Britain　will
prove　that　they　are　not　ungrateful。〃

A　week　later　three　young　men　sat　at　dinner　on　the　terrace　of
the　Savoy。

〃Shall　we；　or　shall　we　not；〃　asked　Herbert；　〃tell　my　uncle
that　we　three；　and　we　three　alone；　were　the　invaders？〃

〃That's　hardly　correct；〃　said　Ford；　〃as　we　now　know　there
were　two　hundred　thousand　invaders。　We　were　the　only　three
who　got　ashore。〃

〃I　vote　we　don't　tell　him；〃　said　Birrell。　〃Let　him　think　with
everybody　else　that　the　Germans　blundered；　that　an　advance
party　landed　too　soon　and　gave　the　show　away。　If　we　talk；〃　he
argued；　〃We'll　get　credit　for　a　successful　hoax。　If　we　keep
quiet；　everybody　will　continue　to　think　we　saved　England。　I'm
content　to　let　it　go　at　that。〃



Chapter　4。　BLOOD　WILL　TELL

David　Greene　was　an　employee　of　the　Burdett　Automatic　Punch
Company。　The　manufacturing　plant　of　the　company　was　at
Bridgeport；　but　in　the　New　York　offices　there　were　working
samples　of　all　the　punches；　from　the　little　nickel…plated　hand
punch　with　which　conductors　squeezed　holes　in　railroad　tickets；
to　the　big　punch　that　could　bite　into　an　iron　plate　as　easily　as
into　a　piece　of　pie。　David's　duty　was　to　explain　these　different
punches；　and　accordingly　when　Burdett　Senior　or　one　of　the　sons
turned　a　customer　over　to　David　he　spoke　of　him　as　a　salesman。
But　David　called　himself　a　〃demonstrator。〃　For　a　short　time　he
even　succeeded　in　persuading　the　other　salesmen　to　speak　of
themselves　as　demonstrators；　but　the　shipping　clerks　and
bookkeepers　laughed　them　out　of　it。　They　could　not　laugh　David
out　of　it。　This　was　so；　partly　because　he　had　no　sense　of　humor；
and　partly　because　he　had　a　great…great…grandfather。　Among　the
salesmen　on　lower　Broadway；　to　possess　a　great…great…grandfather
is　unusual；　even　a　great…grandfather　is　a　rarity；　and　either　is
considered　superfluous。　But　to　David　the　possession　of　a
great…great…grandfather　was　a　precious　and　open　delight。　He　had
possessed　him　only　for　a　short　time。　Undoubtedly　he　always　had
existed；　but　it　was　not　until　David's　sister　Anne　married　a
doctor　in　Bordentown；　New　Jersey；　and　became　socially　ambitious；
that　David　emerged　as　a　Son　of　Washington。

It　was　sister　Anne；　anxious　to　〃get　in〃　as　a　〃Daughter〃　and　wear
a　distaff　pin　in　her　shirtwaist；　who　discovered　the　revolutionary
ancestor。　She　unearthed　him；　or　rather　ran　him　to　earth；　in　the
graveyard　of　the　Presbyterian　church　at　Bordentown。　He　was　no
less　a　person　than　General　Hiram　Greene；　and　he　had　fought　with
Washington　at　Trenton　and　at　Princeton。　Of　this　there　was　no
doubt。　That；　later；　on　moving　to　New　York；　his　descendants　became
peace…loving　salesmen　did　not　affect　his　record。　To　enter　a
society　founded　on　heredity；　the　important　thing　is　first　to
catch　your　ancestor；　and　having　made　sure　of　him；　David　entered
the　Society　of　the　Sons　of　Washington　with　flying　colors。　He　was
not　unlike　the　man　who　had　been　speaking　prose　for　forty　years
without　knowing　it。　He　was　not　unlike　the　other　man　who　woke　to
find　himself　famous。　He　had　gone　to　bed　a　timid；　near…sighted；
underpaid　salesman　without　a　relative　in　the　world；　except　a
married　sister　in　Bordentown；　and　he　awoke　to　find　he　was　a
direct　descendant　of　〃Neck　or　Nothing〃　Greene；　a　revolutionary
hero；　a　friend　of　Washington；　a　man　whose　portrait　hung　in　the
State　House　at　Trenton。　David's　life　had　lacked　color。　The　day　he
carried　his　certificate　of　membership　to　the　big　jewelry　store
uptown　and　purchased　two　rosettes；　one　for　each　of　his　two　coats；
was　the　proudest　of　his　life。

The　other　men　in　the　Broadway　office　took　a　different　view。　As
Wyckoff；　one　of　Burdett's　flying　squadron　of　travelling　salesmen；
said；　〃All　grandfathers　look　alike　to　me；　whether　they're　great；
or　great…great…great。　Each　one　is　as　dead　as　the　other。　I'd
rather　have　a　live　cousin　who　could　loan　me　a　five；　or　slip　me　a
drink。　What　did　your　great…great　dad　ever　do　for　you？〃

〃Well；　for　one　thing；〃　said　David　stiffly；　〃he　fought　in　the　War
of　the　Revolution。　He　saved　us　from　the　shackles　of　monarchical
England；　he　made　it　possible　for　me　and　you　to　enjoy　the
liberties　of　a　free　republic。〃

〃Don't　try　to　tell　me　your　grandfather　did　all　that；〃　protested
Wyckoff；　〃because　I　know　better。　There　were　a　lot　of　others
helped。　I　read　about　it　in　a　book。〃

〃I　am　not　grudging　glory　to　others；〃　returned　David；　〃I　am　only
saying　I　am　proud　that　I　am　a　descendant　of　a　revolutionist。〃

Wyckoff　dived　into　his　inner　pocket　and　produced　a　leather
photograph　frame　that　folded　like　a　concertina。

〃I　don't　want　to　be　a　descendant；〃　he　said；　〃I'd　rather　be　an
ancestor。　Look　at　those。〃　Proudly　he　exhibited　photographs　of
Mrs。　Wyckoff　with　the　baby　and　of　three　other　little　Wyckoffs。
David　looked　with　envy　at　the　children。

〃When　I'm　married；〃　he　stammered；　and　at　the　words　he　blushed；　〃I
hope　to　be　an　ancestor。〃

〃If　you're　thinking　of　getting　married；〃　said　Wyckoff；　〃you'd
better　hope　for　a　raise　in　salary。〃

The　other　clerks　were　as　unsympathetic　as　Wyckoff。　At　first　when
David　showed　them　his　parchment　certificate；　and　his　silver　gilt
insignia　with　on　one　side　a　portrait　of　Washington；　and　on　the
other　a　Continental　soldier；　they　admitted　it　was　dead　swell。
They　even　envied　him；　not　the　grandfather；　but　the　fact　that
owing　to　that　distinguished　relative　David　was　constantly
receiving　beautifully　engraved　invitations　to　attend　the　monthly
meetings　of　the　society；　to　subscribe　to　a　fund　to　erect
monuments　on　battle…fields　to　mark　neglected　graves；　to　join　in
joyous　excursions　to　the　tomb　of　Washington　or　of　John　Paul
Jones；　to　inspect　West　Point；　Annapolis；　and　Bunker　Hill；　to　be
among　those　present　at　the　annual　〃banquet〃　at　Delmonico's。　In
order　that　when　he　opened　these　letters　he　might　have　an
audience；　he　had　given　the　society　his　office　address。

In　these　communications　he　was　always　addressed　as　〃Dear
Compatriot；〃　and　never　did　the　words　fail　to　give　him　a　thrill。
They　seemed　to　lift　him　out　of　Burdett's　salesrooms　and　Broadway；
and　place　him　next　to　things　uncommercial；　untainted；　high；　and
noble。　He　did　not　quite　know　what　an　aristocrat　was；　but　be
believed　being　a　compatriot　made　him　an　aristocrat。　When
customers　were　rude；　when　Mr。　John　or　Mr。　Robert　was　overbearing；
this　idea　enabled　David　to　rise　above　their　ill…temper；　and　he
would　smile　and　say　to　himself：　〃If　they　knew　the　meaning　of　the
blue　rosette　in　my　button…hole；　how　differently　they　would　treat
me！　How　easily　with　a　word　could　I　crush　them！〃

But　few　of　the　customers　recognized　the　significance　of　the
button。　They　thought　it　meant　that　David　belonged　to　the　Y。　M。　C。
A。　or　was　a　teetotaler。　David；　with　his　gentle　manners　and　pale；
ascetic　face；　was　liable　to　give　that　impression。

When　Wyckoff　mentioned　marriage；　the　reason　David　blushed　was
because；　although　no　one　in　the　office　suspected　it；　he　wished　to
marry　the　person　in　whom　the　office　took　the　greatest　pride。　This
was　Miss　Emily　Anthony；　one　of　Burdett　and　Sons'　youngest；　most
efficient；　and　prettiest　stenographers；　and　although　David　did
not　cut　as　dashing　a　figure　as　did　some　of　the　firm's　travelling
men；　Miss　Anthony　had　found　something　in　him　so　greatly　to　admire
that　she　had；　out　of　office　hours；　accepted　his　devotion；　his
theatre　tickets；　and　an　engagement　ring。　Indeed；　so　far　had
matters　progressed；　that　it　had　been　almost　decided　when　in　a　few
months　they　would　go　upon　their　vacations　they　also　would　go　upon
their　honeymoon。　And　then　a　cloud　had　come　between　them；　and　from
a　quarter　from　which　David　had　expected　only　sunshine。

The　trouble　befell　when　David　discovered　he　had　a　great…
great…grandfather。　With　that　fact　itself　Miss　Anthony　was　almost
as　pleased　as　was　David　himself；　but　while　he　was　conte